AAP writes letter to the Home Minister seeking the protection of rape victim

AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) Goa unit has written a letter to the Home Minister seeking the assurance of the safety of a rape victim girl involving the Taleigao heavyweight politician Babush Monseratte. In its letter, AAP has also demanded the need of a counseling of the victim girl. Read the complete letter here.

The Aam Aadmi Party expresses shock at the reports of the St. Cruz MLA Babush Monserrate’s allegedly rape of a minor girl. In her statement, the complainant has reportedly revealed that she was “sold” to the MLA by her mother and another lady.

AAP demands the immediate protection and counselling of the complainant, and demands that you, as Home Minister, personally ensure that no communication or contact of any kind is allowed between the complainant, who is a minor girl, and the accused, who is a powerful politician.

AAP would like to point to you that, as the accused is a public servant, the alleged crime is to be viewed as “aggravated sexual assault” as per the POCSO Act 2012 with a minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment and maximum term of life imprisonment.

Babush Monserrate, being a powerful and influential politician, is likely to pressurise both the complainant and the police to suppress and settle the matter. Similar offences at the same location by the same politician have previously being alleged in the Miramar sex scandal, which reached no conclusion. AAP demands that the investigation be transferred to an independent court-monitored special investigation team.

AAP also demands to know what steps the indolent and almost defunct Goa State Women’s Commission (GSWC) and the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) are taking in this serious matter.

Will these two Commissions give their standard excuse that no one approached them and hence they did not take any action? AAP demands that you exhort your Women and Child Development Minister to educate himself and the office-bearers of these two Commissions of their powers and capabilities, and demands they take suo-moto cognisance of this incident and monitor the probe which will be vulnerable to political pressure.

AAP has made various representations to the Hon. Governor, the Home Ministry, and Goa Police previously in regard to women’s safety and child safety, but these have obviously fallen on deaf ears, as incidents of violence and sexual assaults on women and children continue unabated.

AAP repeats its demand that the Home Minister takes the issue of women’s safety seriously, and empower the Goa Police to take strong action without succumbing to political pressure.

Sincerely

Rajeshree Nagarsekar

Convenor, Aam Aadmi Party, Goa unit.

Disclaimer:AAP has sent this letter to Goa Prism via email for publication. Goa Prism does not take any responsibility for the contents of this letter. All the contents of this letter are the views of an author.